Patriotism and Piety, part 1
Oil and vinegar
Piety is connected to one’s spirituality. If my spirituality is in relationship to/communion with Life Source/Life Force, my name for God as well as my foundational description of God, who incidentally is never named—only described—in Hebrew scripture and Christian scripture, then that pulls me to nurture a piety that makes God’s stirrings ultimate in my values, ethics, commitments.
Patriotism is a potentially powerful respect for and devotion to a country, let us say. It is possible for me to love my country with fervor, but neither nation nor patriotism are ultimates. They are temporal and eventually pass away unlike God who is eternal. I must not, therefore, allow patriotism to be confused with piety; much less to allow piety to become warped, shaped by temporal nationalistic devotion and emotional responses only suited for God.
MAGAts and other religious right types like Reconstructionists try to blend piety and patriotism as if the two can functionally and permanently become one. They cannot. Piety may tell me what to think about patriotism, but it is outside the purview of patriotism altogether to try to tell me about God.
Oil and vinegar dressing can be tasty as the two are mixed together, but they will not remain as one for long. The one can simply not become the other. Similarly if you can’t tell the difference between the two as the uneaten portions sink to the bottom of the bowl, something is wrong with your taste buds if not your eyesight.
An American flag doesn’t belong in a sanctuary for the worship of God (or any where on church property) any more than a public prayer belongs at a high school sports event. If you think Donald Trump enhances the value of your Bible by signing it your spiritual tastebuds are shot.
Coming soon, part 2